


You Can Have the Best of Me

by jprongs



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Hurricane Peter, Lifeguard Remus, M/M, Minor James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, POV Remus Lupin, Past Abuse, Surf Instructor James, Surf Instructor Sirius
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-02
Updated: 2016-09-02
Packaged: 2018-08-12 15:21:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7939573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jprongs/pseuds/jprongs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Remus Lupin is home from college for the summer and working as a lifeguard. Everything is golden until Sirius Black walks back into his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Can Have the Best of Me

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Elena and Courtney for flailing and giving me the motivation to finish this one. xx

“I’m really glad you decided to come home for the summer this year.” Lily smiled under freckles and tanned skin. “The last two really sucked without you.”

Remus rolled his eyes and shoved her shoulder playfully as he grabbed his duffle, threw it over his back, and jumped down from the lifeguard chair. “Yeah I’m sure you were really lacking in things to do.”

Scoffing, Lily tried to give her best angry face, but he didn’t buy it.

“...or tourists to do,” Remus said and then cowered when she jokingly raised a fist.

“I take it all back. You should’ve stayed in Boston!”

“Okay, that’s it!” Laughing, Remus tossed his bag aside and picked up his best friend and neighbor of fifteen years. “Drop your bag, Evans.”

“Remus John Lupin, don’t you dare!”

“Drop it or it’s going in the water with you.”

Lily squealed while her legs dangled over his shoulder and dropped her camera bag.

“Now, do you still think I should’ve stayed up there?”

“Yes!”

“Alright, then.” Not caring who may be watching, Remus ran the few feet to the water and then knee deep to where the waves were crashing while Lily feebly tried to grip onto him. Then in the most unceremonious way, he plopped her right into the water.

Lily gasped and thrashed before grabbing his arm and yanking him down with her.

They dunked and splashed each other back and forth for a bit before Remus stood, helped her up, and then flipped his hair back so it was out of his face.

That’s when he saw him.

The ends of his now chin-length dark hair still dripping with salt water, wetsuit half unzipped and hanging off his hips, and cigarette pressed between his lips. It sent him back three years.

 

_ It was the summer after senior year - the summer that Lily had attempted to dye her stubborn red hair blonde and it had come out orange. He’d gotten a summer job as a lifeguard again because he didn’t want to ask his parents to stretch the farm’s funds even thinner at the same time as he wasn’t trying to live off of Ramen noodles. _

_ This particular Tuesday, Remus had already gone in once when some beet red tourist got themselves caught in a rip current. He’d been well aware that a group of guys who graduated with him were sat in within his watch, smashing back beers. Remus also knew - due to Marlene being a huge gossip - that Sirius had been thrown out of his parents’ house the night before. This was the reason he’d turned a blind eye. Everyone knew that Orion Black beat his sons - he showed the entire town after Sirius missed an interception during the State Championships that cost them the game. _

_ Just before his shift ended, out of the corner of his eye, Remus saw Sirius zip up his wetsuit, grab his surfboard, and stumble to the water. He knew that he was drunk, but when Sirius’ best friend, James, yelled after him, Remus actually stood. As the other boy reached the water, Remus blew his whistle and shouted for Sirius to get back on the beach. _

_ Like any other time, Sirius Black did not listen. He started paddling out, so Remus blew his whistle again. Sure, Sirius was a strong swimmer, but he was also a reckless surfer. The fact that there were dark clouds forming and the tide was rough didn’t make an ounce of difference to him. _

_ He never even made it to stand on his board before a wave crashed on top of him. Remus watched as the pink and grey surfboard shot up into the air and then broke into pieces along the rock jetty twenty feet away. At this point, Remus had lept from the chair, grabbed his tube, and charged into the waves. _

_ When James tried to follow, another lifeguard grabbed his arms and held him back, thankfully. _

_ Remus had to swim sideways, but he got to him just as he reached the rocks. Sirius was only half-conscious, very concussed, and bleeding from his brow. Pulling the tube around him, Remus flattened Sirius’ back to his chest and got them back to shore.  _

_ It was only the second time he’d needed to give someone CPR, but it remained the only time anyone punched him for saving their life. _

 

Now, three years, two exes, countless scars, and a few more punches from drunken assholes later and he was stood knee-deep in the Atlantic and trying to keep his jaw from going under.

“Hey Evans!” Sirius said, flicking cigarette ash into the sand and pushing his sunglasses over his head. “James is looking for you.”

Lily groaned from behind him and walked to greet Sirius. “Yeah, well, tell him he can fuck off.”

“Aren’t you going to Frank’s party?” He asked, laughing. “It’s a bit of a hike for you from your parents’ farm to Nags isn’t it?”

She crossed her arms and shook her head. “No thanks. Remus is home for the summer and he’s got the truck.”

This peaked Sirius’ interest and Remus’ plan of standing to the side and hiding behind his hand in his hair. He could kill Lily, wincing with embarrassment and still vividly remembering the last time he’d spoken to the All-State cornerback.

Sirius cleared his throat and when he spoke again, his voice was definitely an octave lower. “Uh, Lupin?”

Giving an awkward wave, Remus turned to face him, really wishing he wasn’t soaking wet and shirtless - actually, wishing the other man wasn’t shirtless either. “Alright, Sirius?”

He could feel the grey eyes scanning him up and down. “I, uh, didn’t know you were back.” Sirius was obviously every bit as uncomfortable as he was, which gave him the upper hand in a way. He extended a long, tattooed arm out to him with his palm up to shake.

Holding one arm across his chest, Remus shook his hand quickly and nodded.

“It’s been a while.” Sirius smiled nervously at him.

He wanted to say ‘Yeah, I saved your fucking life, then you punched me and avoided me the rest of the summer.’ Alternatively he could mention the events that took place after senior prom and graduation, but that would be a low blow.

Instead, he acted as cordially as possible and simply offered a coy smile back. “Has it?”

Lily punched his arm. “Don’t mind him. They don’t have manners up North, so he’s lost his.”

Sirius frowned and Remus enjoyed a bit of satisfaction at the success of his poisoned politeness.

“You know what? Tell Potter that we’d love a ride. Pick us up at eight from the top of the Lupin’s driveway.” Lily then grabbed his wrist, digging her nails into it before grabbing her camera bag. “We’ll see you later. Until then, I’m going to go wash his brain out with soap.”

Remus gave him a quick salute before slinging his bag and tube over his shoulder and letting Lily drag him through the sand.

“What in the fucking hell has possessed you?” She glared at him as they chucked their bags in the back of Remus’ dad’s truck.

Shrugging, he jingled the keys and hopped into the driver’s side. “Was I that bad?”

“No, just that good at holding a grudge.”

“It’s part of my charm.”

 

“Are you ready yet?” He groaned from his bed as she’d set up her entire make up bar atop his dresser. Everytime she used the face powder junk, he cringed as it fell all over the place.

“Shut it and stop being a jerk.” Lily had this clip contraption that looked like she was going to clip her eyelids off. She’d informed him that it was supposed to curl her eyelashes, but he didn’t actually see any difference.

Remus could see headlights coming down the driveway through the field and he sighed. “Last chance to suddenly get food poisoning.”

Lily zipped up one of her million bags and turned to him, flattening her tank top against her denim cut offs and then put hands on her hips. “Well, how do I look?”

“Desperate.”

“Remus!” She threw a brush at him. “Stop being so miserable!”

“I can’t help it, it’s just innate.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Answer me this: what happened to the ‘I hate James Potter club’?” Remus grinned. “You were president.”

“I was twelve.”

“I bet I still have the ‘VP’ badge you made me.”

He could hear his mother rushing up the stairs, and counted to three for her to swing his bedroom door open. “Sweetheart, why is James Potter’s Jeep sat in the field?”

“Lily has arranged a kidnapping for me.” He shrugged.

“Good on you, Lily. Get him out of this cave for a night.” Hope Lupin gave Lily a quick hug after giving Remus’ room a once-over. “You look lovely, dear. More than I can say for my son, who looks like he found the first clothing that were on his floor.”

“He did. I watched him.” Lily giggled and tucked her hair behind her ears.

“You two realize I’m right here, right?” Remus stood and ruffled his curls. He’d never admitted that the reason this had been on his floor was because he’d tried on about six different shirts before deciding on this Social Distortion one. 

By the time the were climbing into the back of James truck, Remus was contemplating pushing Lily back out of it. What he wasn’t expecting was the state of the driver.

“Hey, Lupin!” James beamed, turning in the driver’s seat to give him a pat on the shoulder. “You look fucking great! Sirius said you’d gotten taller and filled out, but - ow, you fucking jackass, ouch!”

“Thanks, James.” Remus smiled at James before giving Sirius a quick glance. “Nice dreads.”

“Aw, thanks! I figured why not? You know?” James flipped the sun visor down and grinned at himself. “Plus, it gives me loads of credit with my tourist clients.”

“Clients?”

Lily leaned into him in the backseat. “He’s turned being a lazy prick into a career. ‘Surf instructor’ Potter.”

“Fair enough.” Remus nodded to him. He could feel Lily pinching his arm harshly and narrowing her eyes at him.  _ Wonderful _ . “And, I’m being told by my most adoring neighbor that I need to apologize for being a, sorry, Lils, what was it you called me?”

“Completely uncalled-for jerk who deserves-”

“Yeah, I’m sure he gets the point.” He forced a smile. “So, Sirius, I’m sorry for being an asshole.”

Sirius adjusted awkwardly in the passenger’s seat, but still didn’t turn around as they pulled onto the main road and headed towards Frank Longbottom’s. “Don’t worry about it.”

When they eventually got to Frank’s, Remus had realized that the ‘I hate James Potter club’ had definitely disbanded in the time he’d been away at college. James kept shifting those big brown eyes in the rear view, watching Lily as she babbled on about things that no one normally paid attention to, but he was hooked on every word. The thought made Remus smile because Lily deserved that. He was a pretty amazing best friend, but even he didn’t listen to all her rants word-for-word.

The four of them jumped out of the Jeep and Sirius made a quick beeline right around the side of the house and towards the party.

“What, do I have the plague?” Remus commented out loud, not actually meaning to say anything.

James elbowed him in the side before giving him a hug. “Don’t mind Sirius. He gets in his moods from time to time. Never met anyone that could brood so much, but it works for him, I guess. Speaking of working for someone, fuck’s sake, you really do look hot.” James winked and then picked Lily up around her waist and tickled her until she was hitting him in the side with her fists.

A bit in shock, Remus let the tiny redhead grab the front of his shirt and drag him around to the Longbottom’s beachfront deck. It was filled with loads of people he recognized and even more than he didn’t.

A high pitched shriek came from up there somewhere before a mess of blonde hair nearly tackled him to the ground. “Remus fucking Lupin!”

“Hello to you too, Marlene.” He coughed and patted her back as she hugged him in the sand.

“Lily said you were back, but I didn’t believe it. Never thought you’d come back after making it in the big city!” She laughed and then climbed off of him, helping him up.

“Boston is actually quite small, really-”

“It’s farther than any of us have gone. I swear, the half of our high school that actually went to college go to UNC!” She pulled him up a set of stairs and over to a group of people playing beer pong. “Look who I’ve found!”

Alice was the first one to turn around and she lept into his arms. “Holy shit! You’re back! You can’t leave now!”

For the next hour, he was hugged and squeezed, told how great he looked, asked how Boston was, and repeatedly asked why he ever came back down South. He was exhausted by that point and when someone finally handed him a beer, he was relieved.

“Mind if I borrow him, ladies?” Sirius’ smooth voice cut like a knife against the giggles and screaming the girls had been doing. “I didn’t see you have a single drink the whole time we’ve been here. Walk with me?”

Remus shifted, and put a hand to the back of his neck, massaging some imaginary knot out. Should he really go anywhere with Sirius? It never ended well.

“I promise to bring you back unscathed.” He ducked his head a bit, but still kept eye contact. How was Remus supposed to deny that look?

“Alright,” he responded reluctantly. 

When Sirius grabbed for his hand, he nearly jumped out of his skin and ran off, but instead, he put on his big boy pants and let him lead him to the end of the long pier where the sound of the party was washed away in the calm of the waves lapping against the pilings. Sirius finally dropped his hand and sat down, hanging his feet off the edge.

Following suit, he sat next to him and took a rather large swig of his beer. “So, if James is teaching tourists how to surf, what have you been up to?”

He smiled softly, tucking one foot under his thigh and shifting his body to face Remus. “I teach surf lessons as well. His dad fronted us the cash and we work out of the surf shop ‘round the corner from your guard post.”

“Funny, cause I haven’t seen you in the three weeks I’ve been back.” Remus raised a brow.

“When it comes to waves, winds, and anything adventurous, I’ve got the courage of a fucking lion.” Sirius took a drink and then lit a cigarette. “And then when it comes to you, it’s the same old story.”

He couldn’t help but snort and then double over in laughter. The more he thought about it, the funnier it got until he could barely breathe he was cracking up so much. By the time he caught his breath, he was on his back against the pier with his legs dangling off the edge from the knees down.

“Nice to know I can still make you laugh, even if it’s at my own damn expense.” Sirius shook his head and exhaled smoke. “What about you? I’m sure everyone wants to know about the ever-elusive Remus Lupin and his travels.”

He rolled his eyes. “If by travels you mean burying myself in literature at Emerson, then you’ve got that right.”

“Does that mean you still spend all your time in libraries?”

“I’d say, considering I fucking work at one during the school year.”

“No…” Now Sirius was laughing, grinning over at him. “That’s so stereotypical of you, you know that, right?”

Remus nodded. “I’m well aware. I work at a music venue downtown as well, but only on the weekends.”

“Fuck, man.” Biting his lip, Sirius took the last drag from his cigarette and then flicked it into the water. “You haven’t lost it, have you?”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. There’s just this thing about you.”

“Which thing? There were many things about me. Your favorites seemed to be my complete disregard for your sporting accomplishments, how much my parents spoke out against your father in the elections, and the many things I could do with my lips underneath the bleachers.”

Sirius’ face went red and Remus had a feeling he’d gone too far. 

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to-”

“No, it’s quite alright. You were always my bad influence.”

Remus gasped mockingly. “I was  _ your _ bad influence? You pulled me out of class, gave me my first cigarette, and it was you who…”

“Kissed you first?” Sirius finished the thought for him after a few second’s pause. 

“I was going to say ‘kept me out all night’, but that works too.”

He shook his head. “But that’s what you meant, Remus.”

“It probably is.” 

They didn't talk for a while, but it was Sirius who eventually broke the silence. “I’m sorry about everything that happened.”

Remus looked up from picking at the splintering wood on the end of the pier. It was the exact thing he’d needed Sirius to say after all this time. Just that he was sorry. But, sorry for what? For fucking with his head? For toying with his emotions? For taking Marlene to prom and parading her around during the day, but as soon as he could get them in the dark or behind a closed door, he was pressing up against Remus. Then again, Remus liked it that way, so that none of the spotlight fell on him.

“And I was a horrible towards you, so, I’m sorry. That’s what I wanted to bring you aside to talk.”

Remus clapped a hand to his shoulder and sat up. “I’m glad you did. Apology accepted, now-”

He couldn’t finish his sentence, though, because Sirius had leaned in to kiss him. Sure, part of him wanted to grab him and kiss him back like they were still sneaking around where Sirius’ parents couldn’t see them and finding the thrill in it all. The rest of him was damned if he was going to let all of it start back up again. He wasn’t the pushover that he once was and Sirius surely didn’t have the saw thrall over him.

“What the fuck?” Instead of kissing him back, Remus shoved him off. Not realizing his own strength or being aware of how much Sirius had drank, though, he didn’t think about the effect of it.

Sirius was so stunned that he flung back, but didn’t manage to catch himself on the pier. He toppled right over and into the water. 

Remus pushed himself to his feet and wiped his mouth. It took all he had not to laugh, but he shook his head. “You just couldn’t leave it well enough alone, could you? Had to push it past it’s limit, huh? Same old story, Sirius. Learn when to fucking quit.” He threw his hands up, leaving Sirius treading water and yelling after him.

When he got back up to the house, Lily attached herself to his arm. “Remus! Where’ve you been? You’re supposed to keep me from making bad decisions!” 

He patted her head and put an arm around her. “Yeah, I think I’d rather not play babysitter tonight. Hey Potter, pour me some of that tequila, would you?” When he saw James’ lip curl, he winked at him and accepted the beer and shot sat on the table in front of him.

“Anything you want, man.” James came around the table and grinned like an idiot. “I’m calling Lupin as my beer pong partner. Who’s gonna take us on?”

Frank Longbottom stood and half-stretched-half-stumbled to the other side of a long wooden table. “I got you two on this one.”

Remus took a big swig of his beer and let Lily flop back down into a patio chair when Sirius stormed passed to the pizza boxes and then take an entire box onto the beach. 

“Sirius, you want to do pong doubles with Frank against me and Remus?” James called, but was met with a simple rude gesture in response.

“That’s alright.” Frank winked at them and called off the deck to a group of guys who had been playing cornhole. “Hey, Dearborn! You with me against Potter and Lupin?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely!” A brawny guy that Remus knew as being a year older than him in high school bounded up the stairs and took his place beside Frank. “Any chance to whip Potter’s ass in something and I’m game.”

Two games of beer pong, a round of cornhole, one broken bottle of tequila, and a dirty pint later and Remus was hunched over a potted plant on the side of the Longbottom’s home hurling his guts out.

He felt a hand grip his shoulder and an arm around his waist pulling him to his feet, but he was too empty - literally - to argue about it. It was all pretty blurry because fuck knew where his glasses had gone, but he was very aware that someone was wiping his face with a very soft towel that was probably only meant for show.

“Fuck’s sake, Remus. You’re a mess. How much have you had to drink?” The smooth voice, barely above a whisper, laughed at him.

He pushed them away without much actual strength, which only made the person laugh a bit more. “Not nearly enough. Now lemme go back to my discussion on the degeneration of Thomas Pynchon’s-”

“Nope. No literature talk. You’re drunk. Time to go home.”

All of a sudden he was hoisted over a very muscular shoulder and he couldn’t help himself but to rub his hands over the back of this person’s shirt. “Can I get a milkshake first?”

“Sure.” He walked Remus out front of the Longbottom’s and Remus could hear him smirking as he yelled out. “I found him!”

“Reeeeeeeeeemus!” Lily cooed at him from somewhere.

He lifted a hand up as a greeting before being sat in what felt like Potter’s Jeep. The rest of a night was a complete loss as far as he was concerned.

 

“Holy fucking shit, Lily Evans either close those curtains or I will vomit in your shoes.” Remus groaned from the blanket burrito he had confined himself to.

“No way. This is too good. You’re actually hungover. It’s a sight I normally don’t get the privilege to witness!”

“Who let you in?”

“Your mum. She finds it as hilarious as I do.”

“Marvelous.”

“She made waffles.”

“Don’t bring those things anywhere near me. I don’t even want to see food unless it’s covered in cheese and grease until there’s snow on the ground.”

“It’s June.”

“Exactly.”

He could hear the doorbell ring downstairs and then his mother’s voice yelling up to his room. “RJ, did you order a pizza from Tony’s?”

His eyes went wide and he sat bolt upright. He looked over at Lily, who shrugged, before slithering off the bed with his blanket still cocooned around him. Remus hobbled to his bedroom door and to grab the pizza box from his mother.

“Well, did you?”

“No.” He grinned. “But, I’ll definitely devour this.”

“The delivery boy said it was already paid for.”

He was already back on the bed and opening the box. “I’m not gonna argue.” He flipped the lip open and scowled when he saw the note scribbled in marker and splattered with grease on the inside of the lid: 

_ I’m sorry for punching you three years ago and trying to kiss you last night. -S _

“Oh for fuck’s sake. Now I can’t eat it. It’s god damn guilt pizza.” Remus wrinkled his nose and slammed the lid shut again.

“I’ll eat it!” Lily volunteered, but when she went to grab a slice, Remus slapped her hand away.

“No one is eating it.” He reached on the nightstand for his phone and scrolled down to a number that he hadn’t called since high school. 

“Morning, sunshine!” Sirius was very obviously not hungover. Even just that would’ve annoyed Remus.

“You sent me guilt pizza.”

“I sent you hangover pizza. I figured you’d need it after all of the alcohol you mixed and then threw up.”

“Hilarious.”

“Look, Remus. I am sorry…”

“I don’t want your fucking apologies, Sirius. You haven’t changed so just go back to avoiding me.”

He didn’t give him a chance to explain. Instead he hung up and then turned his phone off. “Is it the pizza with the pepperonis under the cheese?”

Lily nodded, “And crushed red pepper on top? Yes.”

“It would be a shame to let it go to waste.”

“It would.”

“If Sirius ever asks, we threw it away.”

“As long as I get to eat it, I don’t give a shit.”

Remus nodded in agreement and then opened the box again, covering Sirius’ note with the receipt from the outside of the box.

 

The humidity was so outrageous that even with an umbrella over his guard chair, Remus was absolutely beading with sweat. While the news was spouting nonsense about Tropical Storm Peter coming up the coast, it wasn’t stopping people from flocking to the beach by the hundreds. When he and Lily drove down this morning he couldn’t remember seeing a single reputable hotel without a ‘NO’ lit in front of their vacancy signs. He figured he should really start a tally for the number of times someone had to blow their whistle for some prick swimming out too far. Didn’t anyone watch any of the countless programs on rip tides?

Remus stood again, peering at a couple of teenagers whose parents weren’t paying them any mind. The two boys were obviously showing off for a couple of girls who were standing a few feet away on a sandbar. The first boy was trying to body surf quite badly and it was blatant that his feet couldn’t touch the bottom. He kept an eye on them for a few seconds until they tried to swim out further and then gave a sharp blow on his whistle and waved them to come in some. It took him whistling again before they finally listened.

This was going to be his entire day, wasn’t it? A few chairs up he could see Lily stooped down with her camera taking pictures of toddlers in their swim diapers as their mothers cooed at them from behind her. Remus had to give her props. There was no way he could run around the beach all day selling telescope pictures to tourists. It was bad enough having to watch them act like idiots and show off for one another in the water. Okay, so, he actually did enjoy his job. Maybe he was just a bit irritable today.

“Morning, Moony.” 

Fuck’s sake. He wasn’t going to be able to avoid Sirius, was he?

Remus pushed his sunglasses over the top of his head and crossed his arms over his chest. “Moony?”

“Well, you didn’t respond well to Sunshine. I figured I’d give you a poetic opposite.” Sirius sure was a sight. He had his dark hair pulled into a messy bun at the back of his head with a few strands poking out in places. Why did he have to look so goddamn gorgeous all of the time?

“What do you want, Sirius?” Remus sighed, plopping back in the chair and scrubbing a hand over his face when Sirius pulled himself up the first few rungs on the chair’s ladder.

“I brought you a coffee.”

“I don’t want your apology food.”

“Coffee isn’t a food. It’s a beverage.”

Remus rolled his eyes and sat back, resting his calf over the opposite knee. “It’s 102 degrees out. I don’t want coffee.”

“It’s iced coffee.”

“If I take it will you go away?”

“Sure.” Sirius handed him the iced coffee with a shit-eating grin. “But I’ll be back at 2pm for surf lessons.”

Remus reluctantly accepted the large Dunkin Donuts cup and shoved his sunglasses down over his face. “Well, try not to drown.”

“See ya, Moony.”

“Whatever.”

 

Tuesday and Wednesday went pretty much the same. He went in a few times after some kids, used his whistle more times than he could count, and Sirius brought him coffee. By Thursday Remus was expecting it. He’d begrudgingly accept it to shut Sirius up and then watch as he taught surf lessons and caught Remus’ eye at every chance he got.

Thursday was a complete change from the rest of the week. Tropical Storm Peter was getting closer and gaining strength. Some of the beachgoers had left and people were beginning to take preparations. Remus guessed that by Friday or Saturday they’d actually close the beaches and if it got too much more, that start evacuations. It had been a few years since he’d dealt with hurricane prep, but he was sure his parents were happy to have him around for it.

Come Friday, the beach was open, but deserted. It wasn’t until about noon that Kingsley came by on a fourwheeler to tell him that they were closing the beaches and to drag the chairs up and bolt them. He had his chair halfway to the seawall when suddenly it was a lot lighter.

“Guess you have the rest of the day off, then. Huh, Moony?” Sirius ducked his head and helped him drag the tall, awkward, and heavy lifeguard chair to the wall. 

“Not really.” Remus laid the chair on it’s side and then wrapped the chains around it so it would hold in place. “They’ve upped Peter to a hurricane now and say it’ll be here by Sunday. There’s a lot to be done.”

“Yeah, James and I helped board up the surf shop and a few other places this morning just in case.” Sirius lifted himself to sit atop the seawall and lit a cigarette. “Pity, though. The waves are phenomenal.”

“Always are before a storm.” Remus shrugged and grabbed his shirt from his bag, put it on and then slung the bag over his shoulder.

“Why don’t you surf anymore?” Sirius raised a brow and then jumped back into the sand to walk with him through the rest of the dunes.

“Because I’m out here enough as it is. Plus, I haven’t surfed since high school. I’d probably be shit at it by now.”

“I doubt it. It’s like riding a bike.”

“Are you just going to walk me back to my truck to aggravate me or does this conversation have a purpose?”

Sirius laughed and then started walking backwards right in front of him. “Come get pizza with me.”

Remus smiled but shook his head, trying to walk passed him. “I have to help my parents get the farm ready.”

Sirius let him pass, but kept in step with him. “I’ll help!”

“Sirius, I’ve said no. Can’t you just drop it?”

“Then tell me why!” Sirius tore off his sunglasses and tossed his cigarette. “Tell me why you won’t give me the time of day.”

“Would you like a list?”

 

The sound of Lily’s father’s truck roared behind him, so even though she tried to startle him, he turned around from the roof of the chicken coop before she got within a few feet. 

“My dad said you guys could use some more sandbags?” She grinned up at him, waiting for him to jump down.

“Yeah, definitely. We piled a lot by the barn, but we were about to try and find some more before the rain started up again.” Remus hopped down and landed firmly on what little grass the chickens hadn’t ripped up. “Wanna drive them around for me? My mom is over there now making sure everything is secured.”

“Yeah, mine is doing the same with the stables.” Lily nodded her head passed the cornfield. “We called Tuney, but she’s going to stay in Charlotte with  _ Vernon _ . Dad was a bit miffed that she wasn’t coming home to help, but I think she’d have been more of a pain anyway.”

“Remind me again, when has your sister been anything but a pain in our fucking asses?” Remus winked, rubbing the dirt from his hands and hopping into the truck with Lily to drive the forty or so feet to the barn.

Once they parked the truck in front of the bar, Hope Lupin rushed over in her bright orange raincoat. “Lily, you’re a lifesaver as always!”

Remus began throwing the sandbags from the bed of the truck as his mother and Lily caught up with one another with everything that had happened since this morning when they’d spoke. He wondered some days if his mother expected him to call home and say he was going to marry Lily and tell her the whole ‘I’m gay’ thing was just a phase. The thought made him snort.

“What’s so funny, RJ?” Hope had her hands on her hips and a playful glare on her face. 

“Nothing, Ma. Just told myself I joke I hadn’t heard before.”

“Stop your nonsense and get these packed against the door for me. Lord knows I’ve overworked myself today.” She winked at him and wiped a mixture of sweat and rain from her forehead.

“Yes, ma’am.” He shook his head with a smirk and continue to throw the bags down near the door so he could pack them easier.

“RJ?”

“Yep?”

“Why is James Potter’s Jeep coming down the driveway again?”

Lily looked up from helping Remus and tried to hide the smile on her face with the few pieces of hair falling out of her pony tail. 

“Probably coming to sweep Lily off her feet or something like that.” Remus gave James a quick wave as he got out of the Jeep, thankfully without Sirius in toe.

“Evans, how is it you manage to look beautiful even when you’re covered in dirt and wearing rubber boots?” James reached a hand up to help Lily down off the truck bed and bit his lip. “Alright, Mrs. Lupin? You look gorgeous yourself, by the way.”

“Hi James. Shouldn’t you be helping your father board up?” His mother pulled off her gloves and offered him a warm nod.

“Already finished. As lovely as you ladies are, I’m actually here to see you, Remus.” He took a deep breath and tucked one of his dreadlocks behind his ear.

“Me?” Remus pointed to his chest and gave a short laugh. “What, has Sirius sent you around to beg for him?” He cowered as his mother whacked his leg with her gloves.

“Not exactly.” James sighed. His usual carefree attitude was missing. “I was actually wondering if you’d heard from him. I haven’t seen him since last night and no one can get in touch with him.”

“My god, do you think he’s alright?” Hope put a hand over her chest and swatted Remus to get down from the truck bed so she could close it up. 

“I haven’t seen him since yesterday.” Remus shrugged. Great, he was trying to keep Sirius out of his life and somehow was still responsible for him.

Lily fixed the hood on James’ hoodie and frowned. “And he didn’t say anything?”

“He wanted me to go out for pizza with him. I said I had to help out here.” Remus was not going to be blamed for Sirius Black having a tantrum just because he couldn’t have what he wanted. Christ, you think he’d have gotten the hint when Remus pushed him off the pier.

James nodded and took a deep breath. “I think he might’ve tried to go surfing, then.”

“But they’ve already started evacuations,” Lily said.

“I’m going to go look for him.” James clenched his fists and didn’t seem to be doing so well to stay calm. “If you hear from him, will you call me?”

“Yeah, sure.” Remus didn’t really want to mention that he’d ignored about a dozen calls from Sirius since yesterday. The last one had been hours ago. Honestly, he’d been busy, but even if he hadn’t been, Remus probably still wouldn’t have answered the phone. 

His mother shot him a look and shifted her eyes between James walking back to his Jeep and Remus. He knew what she was trying to get him to do. He was going to have to chase after Sirius and drag him back to the fucking mainland. This was ridiculous. 

Just as James was giving Lily a peck on the cheek and opening his driver’s side door, Remus pinched the bridge of his nose. “Potter, wait!” He was simply going to fucking strangle him with that stupid shark tooth necklace. “I’ll follow you up in the truck. It’ll be easier with two of us. Let me just grab the radios in case we lose cell service.”

Lily’s oversized green eyes went as wide as a doe’s at him offering to help. “I’ll run my dad’s truck back and come with you.”

“I expect a goddamn pizza every morning for the rest of the summer from him for this.” Remus grumbled before jogging back to the house for the radios and his keys. He pulled on a jacket and grabbed his lifeguard bag and a backpack. What the fuck was he going to need other than radios? He chucked those in the backpack and shoved his cell phone into his back pocket.

“If I die trying to look for his stupid ass, I’m going to fucking haunt him,” Remus said as he handed James a radio. 

“Yeah, he’d probably enjoy that, bro.” James laughed.

“I’ll be on channel six. Emergency services is channel four if, god forbid, you need it.”

“Thanks, Lupin.” James clapped him on the shoulder. “Truly.”

“You can thank me after we’ve got him.”

“Will do.” James nodded and then hopped into the Jeep. “Follow me down. Once we hit Route 12, I’ll drive up past Kitty Hawk if you can make your way South. If we get don’t see him or the bike, we’ll meet back at 64, alright?”

The drive to Route 12 wasn’t entirely bad, but it was as if once they hit the coastal highway, the rain started coming down harder. Luckily, he and Lily hadn’t hit any roadblocks yet and just signs about evacuation. Remus guessed they didn’t expect anyone to be so fucking stupid as to actually be out by the shores.

By the time they got to near enough to Salvo, Remus would bet money that Lily didn’t have any fingernails left. He was starting to worry himself, so he picked up his phone again and hit the last number that he’d dialed a dozen times since they’d started driving. 

“Voicemail again?” Lily asked, pulling her knees up to her chest in the passenger’s seat.

Remus nodded. “It could be that he doesn’t have any service though. Radio James. Tell him we’ll double back towards him.”

“James, any sign of him? Over.”

“Hey Lils. Nothing. I’m heading back towards 64 now. Over.”

“We’re heading back there as well. Over and out.”

Every motorcycle they saw, Remus hit the brakes and one of them would run out and look only to come back soaking wet and disappointed. He felt sick to his stomach, guilt creeping up into his throat and making the air feel thick in his lungs. 

When he pulled into the parking lot for the pier, he could already see James with his forehead against the wheel and his phone to his ear. On top of everything else, his heart sank. He parked the truck next to James’ and jumped out. Remus made a feeble attempt to squint through the raindrops and look for any stupid pink surfboards. Nothing. 

James jumped down out of the jeep and threw his phone in the pocket of his hoodie. “I swear to Christ, I’m going to murder him when I find him.”

“They’re saying that it’s already hammering Wilmington.” Lily rolled the window down and bit her lip. “We went all the way to Salvo, James.”

“I just about hit the state line. I can’t fucking believe him - no, wait, yes I can. It’s Sirius.” James cracked his knuckles and exhaled to keep his cool.

And then it hit Remus as hard as the waves were pounding the shore.

 

_ “Slow down some!” Remus laughed, arms around Sirius’ waist. It certainly wasn’t the first time he’d been on Sirius’ new motorcycle - a ‘gift’ from his father that seemed more like an apology. _

_ “Chill!” Sirius accelerated faster and overtook a minivan with suitcases bungeed to the roof. “What’s life without a little risk?!” _

_ “It isn’t like the lighthouse is going to suddenly sprout legs and fuck off elsewhere!” Remus tightened his grip around him and rubbed his nose against his back. _

_ Sure, they were supposed to be in Chemistry, but Remus knew full well that the both of them were passing with their eyes closed. They could miss a day. He was pretty sure that Sirius had a bad argument with his parents again, so this was his way of getting back at them: fucking some punk rock farm boy in a damn lighthouse.  _

_ Okay, so the lighthouse actually had been his idea, but initially only as a joke. And it was really the fourth time they’d gone there together. Sometimes it blew to have to sneak around, but then again, it was part of the fun. _

 

The last time they’d been together was at that very lighthouse.

“I know where he is.” Remus froze for a second, rethinking through everything. “Fuck, why didn’t I think of it?”

James grabbed him by the shoulders. “What? Where? Where is he?”

“We used to go there and…” He lifted his hands up a bit. “He’s at Hatteras.”

“Oh my god!” Lily covered her mouth and went to get out of the truck, but both Remus and James kept her from opening the door. “You said he used to take you there after he got the bike!”

Remus nodded. “There is definitely, uh,  _ history _ there.”

It took James a minute, but then his brows raised and he nodded slowly. “Oh.  _ Oh _ .”

“The road is most definitely flooded. My truck isn’t going to make it through.” Remus tucked his hair behind his ears. 

“Mine can do it. This thing's a beast, we’ll take-”

“No.” Remus cut James off. “You take my truck. Get Lily back home.”

“Excuse me, I’m sitting right here!” Lily tried to open the door again, but both men shut it on her a second time.

“He’s my brother, Remus. I’ll go.” 

Remus shook his head. “Just give me your keys, James. He’s a theatrical fuck and I know where he’ll be. If I hadn’t blown him off, he probably wouldn’t have gone down there anyway.”

James swallowed and looked back at Lily.

“Just get her home. We have the radios. I’ll get him and bring him back. Just wait for us at Lily’s house.”

“Remus!” Lily shouted out the truck window. “You are not going on your own. I swear to god.”

James handed Remus the keys to the Jeep and bit his lip. “Don’t kill him too much.”

“James Potter, I-” Lily began, but James cut her off by leaning into the truck, sliding a hand to the back of her neck and kissing her hard. She seemed so stunned that she shut up and kissed him back long enough for Remus to hop into the driver’s seat and get it started.

Remus threw the jeep in drive and sped off before there was anymore protest from angry gingers. He blew through stop lights, had the wipers all the way up, and was making decent time trying to head South before Peter battered the coast. He didn’t hit a road block until the bridge. Pulling the giant vehicle to a halting stop, he prayed that he knew whichever officer came to the window.

Any officer except  _ that _ one.

“Fuck.” Remus rolled the window down as Regulus Black approached the jeep with his brow scrunched.

Regulus leaned an arm on the door. “Lupin?”

“Yep.” Remus held his breath, wondering how quickly he’d have to go to run through the barricade.

“Two questions.”

“I’m in a bit of a hurry.”

“Why are you driving Potter’s car?”

“Better gas mileage, I’m sad to say.”

Regulus sneered. “And what in God’s name are you doing out here when we're about to be hit with a fucking hurricane in a couple hours?”

“Birdwatching.”

“That’s it. You’re just as much of a smart mouth as you’ve always been. Get out of the car.”

“That would be counterproductive.” 

“Excuse me?” Regulus gripped the handle on the outside of the door.

“It’s your asshole brother I’m going after, so getting out of the car prevents me from stopping him do something stupid.”

“Sirius is out there?”

“Is that honestly hard to believe? He’s always been one for dramatics and this just takes the proverbial cake.”

“Has he lost his mind?” 

“Probably. Look, Reggie, you can arrest me when I get him off the fucking island, alright?”

“What?” Regulus was reaching for his radio and Remus took that as a clean break and hit the gas. 

When he looked in the side mirror, he could see Regulus waving frantically at him. He winced as he drove through the flimsy orange and white road barricade and onto the bridge. This was such a stupid plan.  _ Fuck _ . Regulus was probably going to call in James’ ridiculously oversized vehicle and he was going to have to have his mother pick him up from the precinct after the storm was over. He wasn’t cut out for five minutes in a jail cell, let alone a few days or longer.

His plan was cut short by the sound of Lily’s voice.

“Remus, where are you at now? Over.”

“Just across the bridge. I may have just ran an evacuation barrier. Over.”

“What?!”

“Remus, it’s James. His phone is still off. Just be careful, alright? Over.”

“Will do. Over and out.”

By the time he was even coming up on Hatteras, the rain was hammering down on the windshield. Remus had to slow to nearly a crawl so he could see where he was going. The good thing was that he wasn’t the only person on the road. Some other complete idiot was driving as well. And it looked like some residents were riding out the storm in places. 

It was about two hours since he’d left Lily and James when he pulled into the parking lot in front of the beach. He could see the lighthouse shining away into the distance and the waves digging angrily into the sand, eroding away any signs that Sirius may have been here. 

“James, I’m here. Over and out.”

He put the radio on the passenger’s seat and zipped his jacket. He really should’ve brought a raincoat. This pleather, sad excuse for a jacket was absolutely worthless in this rain. He stepped out of the jeep and held his hand to his brow as an attempt to see better. At least it wasn’t dark yet.

Remus couldn’t see Sirius anywhere, but he did see his motorcycle. He kept his hand up to shield his eyes from sideways rain and ran over to the bike. It wasn’t as if Sirius would just magically appear next to it, but he guessed it was a start. His chest tightened when he thought about what James had said. Surfing. Would he actually be that much of an idiot to try and surf in storm swells? Depending upon how much he’d had to drink, Remus guessed he might.

Against his better judgement, Remus made his way into the sand and started trudging through the heavy wet sand and dunes. Ahead of him the waves were slamming into the sand and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to spot Sirius’ surfboard somewhere in the midst of all of this or not.

“SIRIUS!” Remus screamed. There was no way he’d be able to hear him, though. Panicking, he stumbled another few yards towards the beach. If for some reason Sirius had gone in during a hurricane, Remus would never forgive himself. Why didn’t he just answer the phone anyway? Christ knew that each time he saw the old picture of Sirius in his school uniform pop up on his phone, it sucked all the air out of his lungs.

It was ridiculous to keep looking for him out here, but Remus couldn’t go back and tell James that he couldn’t find him. He couldn’t go back and find out later that Sirius how drowned or been injured somehow - even just the thought of him riding out storm on his own made Remus wretch.

The only other place he could be was up the by light station and it would be closed. Remus could just imagine him huddled up in the doorway to try and stay out of the rain. What he wouldn’t give right now to have just said ‘yes’ to him yesterday. Actually, they probably would’ve had a great time. They might’ve even rode out the storm tonight watching bad horror movies and eating junk - but this time Sirius wouldn’t have spent the whole night texting Marlene and telling his friends that Remus was just helping him with an essay.

The memories of smoking out of Remus’ bedroom window after he’d snuck Sirius in late at night stung. As a teenager he’d always thought once they left high school everything would come out in the wash and in college it wouldn’t matter. He’d been right about one thing: in college it didn’t matter. He had pent up so much anger and frustration with Sirius fucking Black that boys in Boston were a happy distraction.

Now all Remus wanted was to find the one person who he had trained himself to hate.

He wasn’t in the doorway by the lighthouse either. Remus turned back towards the beach, noticing the few feet the water had risen. He ran both hands through his hair and kept them at the back of his head, trying to figure out what to do.

“REMUS?!” Someone called from behind him.

He whipped his head around and his heart stopped. Sirius was jogging down from the small shack of a maritime museum with his hood up and his hands shoved into his pockets.

“Remus, are you fucking crazy?” Sirius shouted at him, looking perfectly fucking fine and definitely not drowned. His surfboard was propped behind the bench out front of the museum as well. 

Sirius was an idiot, but all Remus could do was take a deep breath and clear the final few feet between them.

“What are you doing out here?” Sirius’ grey eyes were searching him and that’s all Remus needed.

“Looking for your sorry ass.” Remus grabbed the front of Sirius’ hoodie and pulled him into a hug. He put the last three years into it, gripping the sopping wet material at Sirius’ shoulders for dear life.

Sirius seemed a bit hesitant at first, but then he squeezed him back, making it a point to attempt to lift Remus’ feet off the ground. He failed miserably at picking him up as Remus was quite a few inches taller and was no longer the skinny boy he could toss around. “For me?”

“I’ve been out here for fucking hours searching.” Remus pulled back slightly, reveling in Sirius shock and then he kissed him. He slid his bottom lip against Sirius’ top one, pressing his face firmly into Sirius’ and then cupping one of his cheeks.

It tasted of smoke, salt, and a dozen lovers between them. The way that Sirius brought his hand up to Remus’ ear and tucked his hair back with his thumb was new, but the smile he could feel on his lips definitely wasn’t. Remus kissed him harder, using his tongue to tease open Sirius’ lips before running it over his.

“If this is all it would’ve taken, I would’ve gotten caught in a hurricane sooner.” Sirius laughed into Remus mouth.

“Shut up, Sirius.” Remus stopped the kiss, nearly panting and looking up at the rain. “We need to head back before the roads flood over.”

Sirius nodded and dropped his hand into Remus’. “My Uncle Al is just inside. He’s waiting the storm out.”

“Uncle Al is  _ here _ ?”

“He retired, then got bored. Now he helps run the museum and lives across the street. I’ll ask him to put my bike in his garage.”

They said hello and goodbye to Sirius’ uncle and Sirius grabbed his surfboard. Remus still had Sirius’ hand and wasn’t going to let it go until they reached the jeep. 

“Wait, is James here?” Sirius asked, buckling his surfboard to the roof rack.

“No.” Remus smirked and jingled the keys.

“He let you drive it?” Sirius’ eyes were wide. “He won’t even let  _ me _ drive it!”

“You’re reckless and inconsiderate. You also drive like a fucking maniac. I don’t blame him.” Remus jumped into the driver’s side and grabbed the radio. “James, I’ve got Sirius. We’re heading back now, over.”

“Fuck’s sake. Tell him I’m going to knock his teeth out when he gets here, over.” James voice was tense, but he could hear the relief.

“You can tell him yourself. Over and out.”

As soon as Sirius shut the passenger’s side door, Remus threw the jeep into drive and peeled out of the parking lot. He was really hoping that they could make the bridge before it was covered in water. Hatteras was probably the worst island to be on right now. Even so, he was pretty sure that he hadn’t smiled this big in a long time - especially when Sirius reached out to place his hand over Remus’.

**Author's Note:**

> The Starting Line's "The Best of Me" is what initially inspired this fic, hence the title.


End file.
